This application relates to a seal between a compressor rotor and a stator vane.
Gas turbine engines are known, and typically include a compressor stage which compresses air and delivers it into a combustor stage. The air is mixed with fuel and ignited in the combustor stage, and products of that combustion pass downstream over turbine rotors, driving them to rotate.
It is a desire of modern turbine designer to increase the efficiency of all aspects of the turbine engine operation. One loss of efficiency occurs when air leaks within the compressor section. Typically, the compressor section includes a plurality of rotating sets of blades, each defining a stage of compression. Static vanes having airfoils are positioned intermediate the rotating compressor blades, and served to redirect airflow between the serial stages.
It is possible for air to leak between the rotor, and an inner periphery of the stator vane. This air is thus not redirected, as desired, and hurts efficiency.
It is also often the case that a fan delivers air into the compressor stage. Typically, both the compressor and fan have been driven directly by turbine rotors. More recently a gear reduction has been employed between the fan and a turbine rotor to allow the fan to rotate at a slower speed.
The use of the gear reduction has allowed the fan to become larger in diameter. In addition, the fans may deliver air into a bypass duct, as well as to the compressor. It is desirable to increase the overall efficiency of the gas turbine engine such that a higher percentage of air can be delivered into the bypass duct. Thus, the efficient compression of the air within the compressor section becomes even more desirable when utilized in a gas turbine engine utilizing a gear reduction drive for a fan.
Any number of types of seal have been utilized. One known type of seal includes an abradable material, and a plurality of knife-edge seals rotating with the rotor. This seal construction typically extends further inwardly than may be desired, and requires a large number of parts.